Montgomery County sentinel., 1887-03-11
A Clean Man for Governor

MOI LOT tne past TWO decades nave the
people of this State had more important
issue before them than the election of Gov
ernor in November Of this year. Questions
Of vital interest TO affect the welfare of every
department in industrial and invested enter
prises and pursuits stand in jeopardy at the
will of your franchise, and yeu must select
man whose amoition is solely to honor the
position to which you elect him, and not the
man who might use 1t as stepping stone
for higher honors, or that could possibly
yield TO temptations which in such trying
erdeals have often caused "strong men" Ia
yield. The organic law of our State will
probably be changed, and in ancient times
the methods of bloody revolutions was the
only source that the people could abolish
the government under which they lived,
but now, and with us, revolutions in the
system OF government can be accomplished
by the ballots Of voters. Yet the methods
do not alter the responsibilities of "the time
and its consequences" Bad men, corrupt
men, designing men, revengeful men could
under our system of this day, paralyze every
industry, destroy the bulwarks of liberty
and place serious obstacles to the develop.
ment of trade, travel, commerce and the
products OF the soil.
1t is not to play the role of alarmist that
ties of this particular time and sound the
note of warning" for the purpose of escare
and fright"-but 1t is to impress upon the
minds of the people that good, pure and
patriotic mar must be at the helm Vt State.
The people Of Maryland know full well
the power of constitutional convention
and know to their sorrow the depredatons
such power can and has committed upon
the franchise of its voters 1t is not new
"war time with military necessities" but the
love OF political power and the aggrandize-
ment Of selfish men Is the same to-day as
| it was then and ever has been They might
not in the broad terms and open light o
day wholesale disfranchisemen as in 1864
but by cunningly devised articles give the
voting machinery into corrupt methods held
by corrupt officials who would effectualy
disfranchise the people. There must be 3
man as Governor who would throw the
whole weight and influence of his Office
against such damaging power among dan
gerous men. That such things have been
dene is the need Of caution that they may
not be done again. Men who recognize
their weakness before the intelligence Of the
masses can only have power through cor
rupt means, or any means to justify The ends
aud the lends" mean self, with all of il:
|
must be Governor who is above self, whose
proudest boast would be the appreciation OF
the people of Maryland as an upright
clean man with clear record. One whom
the promises and Establishments Of politi
cal tricksters could neither buy with honor:
nor dazzle with flattery.
1 There are grave problems to solve at this
time the changes in our organic law. There
are many and varied conflicting interests te
watch and pass judgment upon. The issues
In this generation are far different than
when the Constitutions of 1854 and 1857
were adopted. The issues of the first hall
century OF our government were but then
being disposed of We have new things tc
deal with, and at our best we can but expert
ment upon them. Labor and capital,
taxation and corporation" are the two
prominent themes that are now agitating
the public mind. Labor in its halt. para
lized organization is making demands ia
many different ways; by the solid, conserva
tive and just methods of the untrammeled
American mechanic and laberer, and by the
agitator, socialistic foreigner who sees nc
other way than as his degraded position in
aristocratic, tyrannic Europe has taught him
Capitalists arrogant in their position, unjusi
in their graspiRg for wealth. Again CAPT
talists bold, energetic, liberal, enterprising
in their aims and dealings. These classes
have to be met and kept from clashing to
the disadvantage Of the welfare of State and
society. In this crisis upon this subject we
need "a clean man" for Governor. Not a
demagogue to traffic his position for pupu.
lar applause of the "mad crowd" to foster
his political fortunes Nor trucker tc
"rich men" to build up either his political
or purse fortunes The question has got to
be met as 1t becomes men and patriots. 1t is
no childish fancy of the passing hour, but
one that is here to stay until its just and
fair settlement upon the fundamental prin-
ciples of Jeffersonian government of the
greatest good TO the greatest number" =.
Taxation and corporations Is indeed diff.
ficult question, full to overtlewing with fair
and comprehensive arguments on all sides
Of this most important subject and needs to
be handled with great care and conservative
Judgment. Taxation equal in all its por.
tions upon the people has been contest in
.all firms ofgovernment in all ages 1t would
be unjust TO say that corporation not being
individual property should escape taxation
and as alike unjust to say that net being in
dividual property II should bear more thar
its portion of taxation. The two things t
guard against at this time is TO see that large
Individual landed or real l-estate owners shal
not pool their issues to escape taxation al
the expense of corporations, nor shall cor
perations escape at the expense of thu
individual taxpayer. But to heavily tas
public convenience in travel and freigh
but places the burden upon the poores
class Of citizens who do most travelling
and freighting and relieves to grea
extent the speculator in rcal-estate. Botl
tl.a - 49,.
greatly aid in making the people richer and
more comfortable. Certainly upen this "a
clean man for Governor" is needed. On,
who fears not corporate power, nor seeks il
aid TO bring to him "honors new and high
er," and one who flatters not the speculatol
in gaining wealth at the expense Of the gen
eral coed. One who will protect the inter
est OF agriculture in its efforts to make "twC
blades OF grass to grew where one grew b
fore"
The Chesapeake aud Ohio Canal, with IL
millions OF Maryland's money, has assume
large proportions as one of the issues in thy
campaign. 1t is useless to talk of what ha,
been and who did it. Suffice to say, "been,
did" What ITO do" is the question, anC
upon this we must have"a clean man fD
Governor" who will first study and then ac
upon the best and truest interest of the State
at large, and second to the welfare of those
who traffic upon it for livelihood, aud VIII,
receive from it the benefits Of water way
freight.
The Judiciary system of the State is liza
BILE to change in form and personnel, and
being of the utmost Importance OF all ques
tions likely to come before the people w
need "a clean man for Governor" who will
not give the influence of his position or bar
ter its high prerogatives for the "ermint
purple" or to "fx things" that any power
save the State will receive the benefit from
what should be an "impartia and learned
bench" as well in purity as ability.
Mortgages, ground rents, Internal improve
ments, the oyster defence and dozen o
more Of other reforms, together with ID,
police department and constabulary of th,
State will be under discussion for action
and "a clean man for Governor" is needed
TO grapple successfully and practically with
all these questions, separately shd collect
lively.
"a clean man for Governor" is enc who's,
record shows him 10 be "a clean man" il
every respect, and, like Cesar's wife, "abov,
suspicion" and like Dumas faverite "hero
"beyopd temptation" He must not hav
"ambition's sweet syren sing to him of high